Tobacco-pipe.



. W. E. ELAM. 1 TOBACCO PIPE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 13, 1909.

Patented May 11, 1909.

venience it WILLIAM E. ELAM, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

TOBACCO-PIPE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 11, 1909.

Application filed January 13, 1909. Serial No. 472,123.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WVILLIAM E. ELAM, citizen of the United States,residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Tobacco-Pipes, of which thefollowing is a specification, reference being had therein to theaccompanying drawing.

My invention relates to tobacco pipes of the class inwhich the smokeduct is openable for cleaning, by means of a longitudinal slot, and theobject is to provide a construction such that the cost shall not bematerially greater than the cost of pipes having nonopenable ducts, suchthat the closure shall be convenient and secure, even after long use ofthe pipe, and also such that an absorbent for fluids collecting in thepipe may be used in the closure member. With these objects in view thesmoke duct is opened by means of a slot of suitable length surrounded bya continuous or endless seat for a closely fitting cup-like closurereadily removable from its slot closing position.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows in vertical longitudinalsection a pipe embodying one form of my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectionon the line 22, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view, similar to Fig. 1, showing aslightly modified construction, the stem and bowl being shown asseparable. Fig. 4 is a section on the line 44, Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is asimilar section of a different modification.

In Figs. 1 and 2, A represents the bowl, and B the stem of a pipe of anysuitable material. The stem has its duct opened by a slot 0 of suitablelen th extending inward to the duct and prefera ly extending along thestem nearly to the bowl. Around this slot andat a short distancetherefrom an endless groove D is formed, in such manner as to leavearound the slot an endless lip E which as a whole is frusto-pyramidal inform, its faces converging toward the slot, in passing outward from thebottom of the groove, to form a seat for a closure. The outer wall ofthe groove is preferably so inclined that the groove may be slightlyV-shaped in cross section. Over this lip is pressed a cup-like closure Fthe diverging sides of which extend well into the groove and fitaccurately upon the correspondingly inclined faces of the lip. Thecup-like closure F is made deep enough to leave, when closed, a space inwhich may be placed absorbent material G, and for conmay be pivoted, orhinged, as

shown, to the stem at H, and at the opposite end it is provided with anotch or projection I, to be engaged by the nail, or the like. Usuallyfriction is relied upon to hold the member in closed position, and toallow it to adjust itself slightlythe hinge or pivot con nection is madewith a certain amount of looseness or play.

In Figs. 3, 4 the lip surrounding the slot is made shorter so that itdoes not extend to the normal surface of the stem, and the closure ismade shallower so that when closed it may lie within the general surfaceof the stem and be practically invisible while the pipe is in use. Inthis case the closure is shown as held in closed position by means ofring J sliding on the tapered stem, and provided below with an inwardlyprojecting lug K to act upon the closure. This lug is shown as formed bybending .or indenting the ring, and to prevent the ring from slippingoff the stem, the latter is provided with a suitable projection, shownas a knob L. An analogous ring may, of course, be used with any of theforms.

Fig. 5 illustrates the use of a slot-surrounding lip itself projectingbeyond the general surface of the pipe so that the closure is whollyvisible. v

What I claim isi 1. The combination with a pipe provided with alongitudinal slot, having continuous walls, extending inward to itssmoke duct and further provided with a closure seat entirely surroundingsaid slot, of a cup-like closure adapted to fit said seat, covering andhermetically closing said slot.

2. The combination with a pipe having its smoke duct opened lonitudinally for a considerable portion of its ength byv a slot extendinginward to said duct and externally surrounded by an endless lip, of acuplike closure adapted to cover said slot and by its sides cut off allpassing of air to the same.

3. The combination with a pipe provided with a duct-opening longitudinalslot surrounded by an endless lip, of a cup-like closure having flaringsides adapted to fit accurately around the correspondingly inclinedlateral face of said lip.

4. The combination with a pipe having a longitudinal duct-opening slotsurrounded by an inwardly-extending groove and having an intermediatelip, of a cup-like closure having its side wall adapted to enter saidgroove and to prevent air from passing to the slot.

5. The combination with a pipe havin a longitudinal duct-opening slotsurroum ed by an endless lip, of a cup-like closure deeper than said lipand adapted to fit over the same, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination With a pipe having in its lower side a longitudinalduet-opening slot surrounded by a lip, of a cup-like closure adapted tofit over said lip, and a mass of absorbent material located in thebottom of the cu -like closure.

7. Tie combination with a pipe having a tapering stem provided with alongitudinal duet-opening slot surrounded by a lip, of a cup-likeclosure adapted to fit over said lip,

and a closure looking ring sliding upon the stem.

8. The combination with a pi e having a tapering stem provided with aongitudinal duct-opening slot surrounded by a lip, of a eup-like closureadapted to fit over said lip, and a ring sliding upon the stem to locksaid closure, said stem being provided with a WILLIAM E. ELAM.

Witnesses:

JAMES L. CRAWFORD, WALLAoE GREENE.

